1. Field of the Invention
This invention includes a support pad for a human tracheostomy patient's ventilator or respirator hose, and a method or procedure of using the support pad. The support pad attaches to the tracheostomy patient's garment in the chest area, and is structured to maintain the respirator hose in a generally straight-line approach to the tracheostomy tube to assist in relieving pulling pressures applied to the tracheostomy tube by the respirator hose. Additionally the support pad is structured to dampen the vibration and intermittent jerking movements transferred into the tracheostomy tube by the respirator hose. The invention also addresses the problem of fluid in the respirator hose flowing into the tracheostomy tube and the patient's lungs.
2. Description of the Past Art
People who are experiencing various types of respiratory distress are often fitted with an artificial airway to assist in breathing. This procedure generally involves the creation of an opening or stoma in the throat or trachea of the patient. The stoma is then fitted with a tracheostomy tube assembly which is releasably affixed to the patient with a tether extending around the patient's neck. With extreme respiratory distress, the tracheostomy tube is attached to an electro-mechanical respirator machine, via a somewhat flexible respirator hose, which forces air into the patient's lungs. The most commonly used respirator machines, often called ventilators, introduce gasses such as oxygen enriched air on an intermittent positive pressure basis to force the air into the lungs at intervals between periods of neutral pressure or vacuum. The intermittent positive pressure introduction of air into the respirator hose causes the hose to move back and forth slightly in a jerking fashion as the hose stiffens and then relaxes with the increased and then decreased pressures within the hose. The back and forth jerking movements in the respirator hose are transferred into the tracheostomy tube and can be felt by the patient. The natural operation of the most common respirator or ventilator machines, which include an electrical motor, also creates a slight constant vibration, mostly from the motor, which is often transferred through the respirator hose to the tracheostomy tube to be felt by the patient. Although this intermittent jerking movement and vibration may at first appear to be generally insignificant, over an extended period of time these slight but constant movements can cause irritation and pain in the stoma surrounding the tracheostomy tube. This situation is particularly applicable to long term patients, where a sensitive stoma causes routine cleaning and changing of the tracheostomy tube to be a painful ordeal, and an irritated and debilitated stoma is more prone to infection. An infected stoma can lead to serious lung infections and death.
An even further problem associated with the care of the tracheostomy patients connected to respirators via hoses are the pulling stresses applied directly to the tracheostomy tube by the respirator hose. The pulling stresses applied to the tracheostomy tube occur most often as a patient moves around in bed, turning from one side to the other. These pulling stresses applied to the tracheostomy tube can be felt by the patient, and may be painful, often contributing to an irritated and debilitated stoma.
Another problem associated with the care of the tracheostomy patient on a respirator is inadvertent introduction of moisture condensation from the respirator hose into the patient's trachea and lungs. The most common of respirators are designed to add moisture to the gasses in the form of a very fine fluid mist or vapor, which prevents the lining of the trachea from becoming dehydrated. Some of this moisture unfortunately collects on the interior of the respirator hose and may eventually pools in low points or bends. If the respirator hose is elevated above the level of the tracheostomy tube, the fluid condensation can flow down into the tube and into the patient's lungs. This often occurs at night when the patient turns from one position to another, where fluid collected in one bend of the hose is displaced into the tracheostomy tube when the patient changes position. A procedure commonly used to reduce this problem is to routinely manually drain the hose by manipulating the bends containing the fluid down toward the end of the hose attached to the respirator where the fluid is deposited into a fluid collecting vial. Unfortunately this manual hose draining procedure is not always carried out consistently, and it is most often not performed during the night since the patient would be disturbed.
Several prior art devices have been developed which are designed to support and secure tubing or hoses of various types. One such device is shown by Eldridge, Jr., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,806. Eldridge, Jr. shows a self-adhesive backing strip designed to be folded over and releasably secured onto itself with magnets, also securing a section of tubing in the fold. Eldgridge's device is primarily designed for supporting small diameter tubing such as a nasogastric line, cautery cords or intravenous tubing, and allows for little or no movement of the hose through the hose support.
Another hose clamping structure is taught by Kalt et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,878. Kalt's device includes a base for adhering to an object, and a flap for securing the tubing to the base. Kalt uses hook and loop fastening means to releasibly secure the flap in a closed position over a hose. Kalt does not adequately address the problems of fluid draining into a tracheostomy tube, or of harmful vibration and intermittent jerking effects created in a tracheostomy tube by the normal intermittent introduction of gasses by a ventilator or respirator.
A third hose clamping structure is taught by Heitzman in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,798. Heitzman's surgical appliance support includes a support member designed to be fitted to the patient's chest or back with the use of detachable straps. The Heitzman device appears to be quite complicated and expensive to manufacture, and possibly difficult to apply and remove particularly by the user.
The related past art does not adequately, both structurally and instructionally, address by way of stating proper procedure in combination with a proper structure, the problems of fluid draining into a tracheostomy tube, or of harmful vibration and intermittent jerking effects created in a tracheostomy tube by the normal intermittent introduction of gasses by a respirator, and the pulling stresses applied to the tracheostomy tube by the weight and pull of the respirator hose, particularly when the patient moves about. Therefore there is a significant need for a properly structured support pad for a respirator hose, and a proper method, system or procedure of use thereof for tracheostomy patients.